Dry adhesives comprised of micropores and nanopores

Abstract

A dry adhesive comprising a microporous and nanoporous surface, and a compliant surface having a hardness of about 60 Shore A or less, the microporous and nanoporous surface and the compliant surface being capable of forming upon contact a dry adhesive bond with each other, wherein the microporous and nanoporous surface has R a between about 0.2-3.0 μm and R sm between about 20-2,000 nm.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for dry adhering at least one surface to another surface said device comprising:
 a. a first article having a non-tacky micro-porous and nano-porous surface wherein said first article is made of a base material selected from the group consisting of metal, glass, and polymer, and 
 b. a second article having a non-tacky compliant surface, 
 
       wherein said compliant surface comprises a compliant material, 
       wherein said compliant surface has a hardness of less than 60 Shore A, 
       wherein the micro-porous and nano-porous surface has micropores and nanopores, 
       wherein said microporous and nanoporous surface has a roughness average in amplitude (R a ) between about 0.2 μm and about 3.0 μm, 
       wherein the microporous and nanoporous surface has a mean spacing of profile irregularities (RS m ) between about 20 nm and about 2000 nm; and 
       wherein, when the micro-porous and nano-porous surface and the compliant surface are placed in contact with each other the compliant surface conforms with the topography of the micro-porous and nano-porous surface which results in reversible mechanical interlock of the compliant surface in the micropores and nanopores and thereby results in a dry adhesive bond being formed. 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said compliant surface has a hardness of about 20 Shore A and about 60 Shore A. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said second article is made of the compliant material. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said second article has a layer of the compliant material. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said second article has a layer of the compliant material on a support. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said second article has one or more discrete areas of the compliant material spaced apart on a support. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the compliant material is a thermoplastic elastomer or a crosslinked elastomer. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the compliant material is selected from a group consisting of: a silicon elastomer, a silicon rubber, a styrene-isoprene elastomer, a styrene-butadiene elastomer, a styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene elastomer, a styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene elastomer, an ethylene-butadiene-styrene elastomer, a siloxane polymer, and a poly-isocyanate. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1  , wherein said base material is glass. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the base material is a metal. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the base material is aluminum. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said micro-porous and nano-porous surface has roughness average in amplitude between about 0.2 μm and about 1.5 μm. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said micro-porous and nano-porous surface has roughness average in amplitude between about 0.25 μm and about 1.5 μm. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said micro-porous and nano-porous surface has roughness average in amplitude between about 0.2 μm and about 0.7 μm. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said microporous and nanoporous surface has mean spacing of profile irregularities between about 20 nm and about 1500 nm. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said microporous and nanoporous surface has mean spacing of profile irregularities between about 20 nm and about 1000 nm. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said microporous and nanoporous surface has mean spacing of profile irregularities between about 20 nm and about 500 nm. 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 1  wherein the hardness of the compliant surface is between 20 Shore A and about 50 Shore A. 
     
     
       19. The device of  claim 1  wherein said first article comprises multiple discrete areas of a material with micropores and nanopores, said areas being spaced apart on a support.